Method of making stockings



Sept. 1'1, 1923. 1,467,549

R. H. LAWSON METHOD OF MAKING STOCKINGS Original Filed Jan. 15, 1925 Patented Sept. 11,

VROBERT H. LAWSON, OF GENTRAL FALLS, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO HEMPHILL COMPANY, OF CENTRAL FALLS, RHODE ISLAND, A CORPORATION OF MASSA- CHUSETTS.

Original application filed January 15, 1923, Serial No. 612,585. Divided and this application filed May ivrn'rnon or MAKING STOCKINGS.

12, 1923. Serial No. 638,521. a

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT H. Lawson,

a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Central Falls, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have in-- type of stocking, and will set forth the best mode known to me for producing the same in accordance with. my invention.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is aside elevation of a so-called seamless-knit stocking produced in accordance with my method;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail showing a portion of-the suture seam, both at the inclined portion thereof and at the portion thereof that is parallel with the wales; and Fig. 3 is a detail showing a portion of the back of the stocking made in accordance with my invention.

My invention while applicab le to the production of numerous types of stockings, more particularly relates to the manufacture of stockings having a reinforced or contrasting area at the backof the leg and n the high splice;

I havenot herein disclosed mechanism for producing the fabric of my invention. While the fabric may be produced upon many different types of machines, it is de sirably produced upon a so-calledBanner machine, fully disclosed in United States patent to Joshua B. Hemphill, No. 933,443, dated September 7,1909;

The stocking produced in accordance with my invention is a s'o-c'alled seamless structure, by which "is meant-in the specific in-.

stance of a stockingone devoid of selvage sewed as the finz'iloperation following the knitting. The said stocking is in accordance with my invention provided with certain suture seams which are, however, produced during the formation of the stockin and as a part of the knitting'operation.

will briefly refer, to mechanism which may be employed and will then describe in detail the selected embodiment of stocking and the method by which it is made.

By means of the mechanism of the knitted machine of whatever circular type employed, the needle cylinder or the cam cylinder is or may be given at certain times in the knitting operation a continuous rotary movement, as, for example,.during the knitting of the welt portion 1 of the stocking, while at other times said cylinder is given a to or fro or reciprocating movement for the formation of the leg portion 2, or such portion thereof as is provided with the stripe hereinafter referred to, as well as for the formation of the high splice portion 3 and the corresponding ankle portion 4,,and also for the formation of the upper portion 5 and the sole portion 6 of the foot. The heel 7 and the toe 8 are desirably knitted by a narrowing and widening portion in the customary manner.

Stockings have long been knitted: with relatively narrow vertical stripes in the leg, but so far as I am aware said stripes have either been made'by introducing an additional yarn which at certain parts of the stocking is floated, or by substituting a yarn,

dotted line 9' a short distance above the tog of the high splice 3 to and merging into'sai high splice. Thestripe 9 may, after the completion of .the knittingof the stocking, be run through a sewing machine by which a sewed mock seam is provided'centrally of the stripe 9,

but my invention is not limited to the production of such a structure. The stripe 9 is relatively narrow compared with the entire circumference of the stocking and the yarn or thread .producin the same and which is indicated at 10 in Fig. 2 may contrast in color, size or other characteristic with the thread or yarn 11 from which the restof the leg 2 and the top of the foot is or may be knitted. For purposes of description, it will be assumed that the yarn of the stripe 9 differs in weight from the yarn 11, so as to make a well defined contrasting stripe.

The high splice 3 is desirably of a tapering contour as indicated, and the sloping edges, one of which is indicated at 12 in Fig. 1, are also defined by suture seams. Therefore in effect the tapered high splice 3 is a-continuation of the stripe 9, and there is thus presented in the stocking a stripe, parts of which are of different width. So far as I. am aware, stripes as heretofore constructed have been of a uniform width, as the so-called clocks of stockings are not stripes. a

' Through the formation of suture seams at opposite sides of the stocking, namely, at

the opposite edges of the stripe 9 and opposite edges of the tapered high splice 3, there is presented a reinforced or contrasting area, parts of which have marginal lines non-parallel to the wales of" the fabric, that is, crossing a series of consecutive wales of the-fabric.

The stocking maybe commenced at either end, as, for example, at the top of the leg or I the top of the toe, and therefore the suture lines of the tapered high splice either com-' mence or terminate in proximity to' each other, that is, at the points 13. I will more I particularly describe a stocking wherein the knitting is begun at the top of'the leg, in which case the suture lines may be begun at the oint 14: and at a corresponding pointat t e opposite side of the stocking. Thesuture lines or seams are continued at parallel lines, being parallel to each other and also to the wales of the stocking down to the points 13 and thereafter they are continued asinclined lines,- one of which is indicated at 12 in Fig. 1, and both of which are indicated at 12, 12' respectively in Fig. 3.

Said suture lines or seams 12, 12 diverge .or

converge in straight, curved or irregular lines and desirably at equal angles or symmetrically.

The needles employed in producing the fabric may be of the latch needle or spring beard needle type. They are arranged in a circular series and are of a number consistent with the diameter'of the work to be performed upon the machine. For the knitting of the leg portion of the stocking. I desirably provide those needles which areto make mamas the stripe 9 with butts which difler in length from the butts of the needles knitting the front half of the leg of the stocking, the yarn or thread for the stripe 9 being introduced through a different yarn finger from narrow, width. During the knitting of the tapered high splice 3, I desirably automatically transfer certain needles from the largerof said sets to the smaller as the work progresses, so that the number of needles in the smaller group is increased from time to time,

as, for example, at 'everycourse or at alternate courses, and the number of needles in the larger group is correspondingly de creased. This result or action I desirably effect, automatically and desirably for the manufacture of the stocking herein shown I place the long butt or instep needles in one group and also in that same group I place a certain number of the short butt.

needles-desirably all of the heel-fashion ing needles-leaving in the second group only the remaining short-butt needles which are merely suificient in number to form the stripe 9 of whatever width desired. Desirably and as herein indicated the stripe line is of a width substantially correspond ing. to that of a number of wales in the nonfashioned part ofthe. stocking as clearly illustrated in Figure 1. This constructionpermits me to use for the strips 9 only the nonfashion ng needles of the heel or short butt needles and in this case each'inclined line 12 indicates the extent of the group of fashioning needles at each side of the stocking, it being observed that the inclined line 12 substantially corresponds in length with that of the line 14' indicating the narrowing and widening seam. for the heel. The stripe 9 differ somewhat in accordance with the different effects to be produced, and the direct -controlof such needle's'may be effected by jacks located below and in the grooves of the short butt-needles. In the disclosed embodiment of the stocking, the width-of the stripe 9 may be such as to necessitate the employment of a comparatively small number of needles, and at the commencement of the high splice 3, that same number of needles is utilized, but as the knitting of the high splice continues the number of needles in the smaller group is constantly increased by additions at each end of the group from the larger group.

The periods when needles are transferred from one group to the other and the number that are so transferred from time to time depend upon the configuration of the reinforced or contrasting -area.

The stocking may be commenced either at the top of the leg or at the toe, and I will describe as the preferredmethod of manufacture theknitting of the stocking beginning at the top of the leg, in which case circular knitting proceeds in the ordinary manner through the'forination of the welt 1, that is, down to the top of the stripe 9, which, as stated, may commence at any predetermined point. The leg portion or so much thereof as contains the stripe 9 and also that part thereof having the high splice 3, is produced. by reciprocating knitting, using two yarns which are introduced through two opposed thread guides or yarn fingers. The needles are divided into two substantially equal groups, the front half of the stocking being knitted upon the long butt or instep needles and the back half of the stocking including the stripe 9 being knitted upon the short butt needles. *By the use of jacks positioned-under, and in the grooves of, the short butt needles, all of the short butt needles excepting those needed for knitting the stripe 9, are automatically grouped with and function as long b'utt needles and hence all of the needles except those for forming the stripe 9, take the socalled auxiliary yarn 11 which is preferably fed through the auxiliary yarn guide or finger. The needles which form the stripe 9 take only the yarn 10, which is the so-called primary yarn and is fed through the other or regular yarn guide or finger. Thus .for each reciprocation during the knitting of the legifrom the line 14 down to the points 13 the needles act in two groups, one containing only the needles for the stripe 9 and the other containing all the other needles. The number of needles in the two such groups remains unchanged until the points 13 are reached, and then the number of needles in the rear group is constantly augmented from the needles of the front group, thereby forming the tapering enlargement or high splice 3, which is thus a continuation of and a widening of the stripe 9. This transfer of needles from the front group to the rear group continues in accordance with the shape that is to be given the high splice 3 until the line l4, I4 is reached at the top of the heel 7. Thereupon one half the needles, namely, the long yarn may be substituted therefor.

Thereafter the toe 8 is knitted by a narrowing'and widening action in the usual way,

and the stocking is thenseamed up at the toe along the line 16. r

The yarn 11 may be used in forming the upper part 5 of the foot, or a different The sole ofthe foot may be knitted from the same yarn used to knit the stripe 9 or a different yarn may be substituted. Desirably the yarn used for knitting the high splice 3 is the same yarn as that used for knitting the stripe 9, but a different yarn may be employed and in any event the yarn or yarns used in knitting the heel and toe are different from the yarns used for knittingthe stripe 9.

The stripe 9 and the highsplice 8 are desirably composed of the yarn 10 introduced at the regular side of the machine, namely, the side where the series of yarn fingers are located, and the remainder of each course is desirably knitted upon the so-called auxiliary side. During the formation of the high splice 3 more and more needles knit 0n the regular side. that is, at the heel side of the stocking. I lHHG stated that the foot is preferably made by reciprocating knitting resulting in the formation of suture seams, one of which is indicated at 15. In so forming the foot a transfer of needles may be-effected from one group to the other according to the desired contour of the upper and sole portions of the foot.-but it will be assumed for clearness of description that in making .the foot, there is no transfer of needles from one group to the other, and that therefore the suture seams 15 of the foot portion are straight and parallel and in the direction of the wales, being at opposite sides of the foot and there defining the upper part of the foot and the sole.

In knitting the stripe 9, what may be termed the suture needles'continue to be the same identical needles, and there is but a single suture needle at each edge of the stripe 9, but in knitting, the tapered high splice 3, what may be termed the suture needles are constantly changing, and there are two suture needles at each edge of said tapered high splice: that is. one of the two needles at each edge of said tapered -high splice, and which is a suture needle in one stroke of reciprocation. is immediately thereafter depressed so as to jointhe needles at the back of the ankle or high splice part of the stocking, and thereupon the next &

needle becomes the other suture needle at that side, namely, the needle in the instep needles which is next to the suture needle that has just been transferred tothe high splice needles. This same action occurs atthe same side or portions of the stocking during the knitting of the high splice, as-

suming the latter to be of a tapering form.

Vi ithin the scope of the inventionl may begin the knitting ofthe stocking atthe toe instead of at the top of the leg. In such case the toe and the heel may be knitted in the usual way and the foot may be knitted by circular work or as a split foot, and immediately upon the completion of the heel a short butt needle may be thrown in this figure the secondary yarn 11 is used to form a loop at both sides of the heavier orcontrasting yarn 10, which is the primary yarn, namely, the yarn at the heel side of the ankle. The suture formation'along the lines joining the primary yarn and the secondary yarn consistsin alternate courses of a loop and a partial loop of the primary yarn at one edge of the stripe 9 as indicated at 17,the intervening courses being similarly 7 formed at the opposite edge of the stripe 9 as indicated at 18 in Fig. 2. Throughout the formation of the stripe 9 the said loops and partial loops 17, and 18, respectiiely, are in alignment and in parallelism with the wales, but throughoutthe formation of the tapered high splice 3, said loops andpartial loops 17 are in an inclined line which crosses the wales, and the same is true of the loops and partial loops 18 at the opposite edge of the stripe 9 and of the tapered high splice 3. Thus at one end of each partial course constituting the stripe 9 and the high splice 3. the primary yarn 10 is returned upon itself as indicated and is then introduced into the 1 next succeedingcourse and at the end 'of said succeeding course, said-primary yarn 10 is again returned upon itself aud'then introduced into the next succeeding. course, this operation being continued throughout the formation of the stripe-9 and'the high splice 3, the points in said courses at which the yarn is so" returned upon itself being determined by the predetermined width-of the stripe 9 and the tapering or other cortour of the.high splice 3. It will be ob served that at the endof each partial course of the secondary yarn in the tapered high splice 3, as indicated at 19, primary yarn 10 is carried across two loops as indicated at 20 in Fig. 2, and is then introduced into the next succeeding course at 21 two wales re-- moved from its terminal loop 19 in the-preceding course. This operation is continued throughout the formation of the tapered high splice 3.

Having thus described the best mode known to me for practicing the method of my invention, I desire it to beunderstood that although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense and not for purposes of limitation, thescope of the invention being set forth in the following claims.

Claims- 1. That; method of knitting upon a circular series of needles a tubular stocking having a markedly narrow, split work stripe along, the median back line of the leg comprising introducing one yarn to a group of the non-fashioning heel needles only, introducing another yarn to all the remaining needles of the said circle of needles and ineluding-the instep needles and the fashioning heel needles of the second group, simultaneously knitting with said yarns respectively upon both groups of said needles by reciprocating knitting, and in so doing interconnecting said two yarns by sutureseams, thereby forming split work; and

during the forming of the lower part'of said stripe persistently transferring the fashioning heel needles from the larger to the smaller group, and in so doing causing at least one of said suture seams to cross wales of the fabric.

2. That method of knitting upon a circular series of needles atubular. stocking having a. markedly narrow, splitv work stripe along "the median back line of the leg comprising introducing one yarn to a group of non-fashioning heel needles only, introducing another yarn to all the remaining needles of the said circle of needles and including the instep needles and the fashioning heel needles of the second group, simultaneously knitting with said yarns respectively upon both groups of said needles by reciprocating knittipg, andin so doin ginterconnecting said two yarns by suture seams, thereby forming split work,

and during the forming of the lower part .of said stripe persistently transferring fashioning needles from both ends ofthe larger group to the smaller group, and in so doing causing both of said suture seams to crosswales of the fabric. I

- 3. That method of knitting upon a circular series of needles a tubular stockin having a --markedly narrow, split wor stripe along the median back line of the leg comprising introducing one yarn to a group of non;fashioning heel needles only, introducing another yarn to all the remaining needles of the said circle of needles and including the instep needles and the fashioning heel needles of the second group, simultaneously knitting with said yarns respectively upon both groups of said needles by reciprocating knitting, and in so doing iu terconnecting said two yarns by" suture seams, thereby forming split work, and during the forming of the lower part of said stripe and in a series of courses transferring all of the fashioning heel needles from the larger to the smaller group andin so doing causing both of saidsuture seams to cross wales of the fabric to substantially the narrowing and widening seam of the heel pocket.

4. That method of knitting upon. a circular series of needles a tubular stocking having a markedly narrow, split work stripe along the median back line of the leg com prising introducing one yarn to a group of the non-fashioning heel needles only, introducing another yarn-to all the remaining needles of the said circle of needles and ineluding theinstep'needles and the fashioningsheel needles of the second group, s'imultaneouslyknitting with said yarns respectively upon both. groups of said needles by reciprocating knitting, and in so doing interconnecting 'said two yarns by suture seams, thereby forming split work, and during the forming of the lower part'of saidt stripe persistently transferring terminal fashioning heel needles from the larger to the smaller group, there to act as suture needles and thus to cause both suture seams to extend obliquely'to the wales of the fabric. 4

5. That method of knitting upon a circular series of needles a tubular stocking having a markedly narrow, split work stripe along the median back line only of the leg, comprising introducing one yarn to a group of needles composed exclusively of nonfashioning heel needles only, introducing another yarn to all the remaining needles of the said circle of needlesand including the instep needles and the fashioning heel needles as a second group, simultaneously knitting with said yarns respectivelyyuponboth groups of said needles by reciprocating knitting and in so doing interconnecting said two yarns by suture seams, thereby forming split work, and during the forming of the lower part of said-stripe persistently and throughout a series of courses transferring the terminal fashioning heel needles from the larger to the smaller group, there to act as suture needles and thus cause. both suture seams tocextend obliquely to the wales of the fabric.

6. That method of knitting upon a circular-series of needles a tubular stocking having a markedly narrow, split work stripe along the median back line only of'the leg,

fashioning heel needles at both sides of the non-fashioning heel needles as a. second group, simultaneously knittingwith said yarns'respectively upon both groups of said needles byreciprocating knitting and in so .doing interconnecting saidtwo yarns byv suture seams, thereby forming split work, and during the forming of the lower part of said stripe persistently and throughout a series of courses transferring the terminal fashioning h-eel needles from the larger to the smaller group, there to act as suture needles and thus cause both suture seams to extend obliquely to the wales of the fabric. 7. That method of knitting upon a circular series of needles a tubular stocking having a markedly narrow, split work stripe along the median back line only of the leg, comprising introducing one yarn to a group of the nonfashioning needles only, introducing another yarn to all the remaining needles of the said circle of needles and including the instep needles and the fashioning heel needles as a second group, simultaneously knitting with said yarns respectively upon both groups of said needles by reciprocating knitting, and in so doing interconnecting said two yarns by suture z seams, thereby formlng split WOI'k,COI1t-11111 ing-the split workv to the heel, and thereby making said narrow stripe, and continuing the same as a high splice to the heel and thereafter forming the heel, foot and toe of the stocking.

8. That method of knitting upon a circular series of needles a tubular stocking having a markedly narrow, split work stripe comprising introducing one yarn to a small group of the back or heel needles consisting of not exceeding one-sixth of said complete circle of the needles; introducing another yarn'to all the remaining needles ,of said circle of needles and including the instep needles and substantially all the fashioning needles as a'second group; simultaneously knitting with said yarns respectively, upon the remaining needles of said circle of needles and including the instep needles and substantially all the fashioning needles as a second group; simultaneously knitting with said yarns respectively, upon both groups of said'needles by reciprocating knitting and in so doing interconnectng said two yarns by suture seams, thereby forming split work; and during the forming of the lower part of said stripe persistently increasing the number of needles of the smaller group and correspondingly decreasing the number of needles of the larger group by regroupment of the circle of needles, but continuing the interconnection of the yarns by suture seams, thereby forming a high splice,

the lateral edges whereof are'defined and bounded by suture seams.

, 10. That method ofknitting-upon a cir' cular series of needles a tubular stocking having a markedly narrow, split work stripe, comprising introducing one yarn to a group of the back or heel. needles of said circular series of'needles, said group not exceeding approximately the number of needles forming the wales in the non-fashioned part of theheel; introducing another yarn to all the remaining needles of the said circle of needles and including the instep needles and substantially all the fashioning needles; and simultaneously knitting with said yarns respectively, upon both groups of said needles by reciprocating knitting and in so doing interconnecting said varnsby suture seams, thereby forming split work.

11 That method of knitting upon a cir cular series of needles a tubular stocking having a relatively narrow, paralleleided, split work stripe at the rear of the'leg above the high splice, which comprises introducing one yarn only to a group of needles which are to form said stripe, said group being composed substantially wholly of non- ;Eashioning heel needles; introducing another yarn only to the remaining needles of the circle of needles; simultaneously knitting with said yarns respectively, upon both sets of said needles by reciprocating.knitting to form both of said parts of the leg of the stocking and in said reciprocating knitting interconnecting said two yarns by suture seams, each of which seams, is restricted to a single wale only of the fabric I fashioning heel needles; introducing an throughout said parallelsided stripe.

12. That method of knitting upon a circular series of needlesatubul'ar stocking having a relatively narrow, parallel-sided, split-work stripe at the rear of the leg above the high splice, which comprises introducing one yarn only to a group of needles which are to form said stripe, said group being composed substantially wholly of nonothei: yarn only to the remaining needles of the circle of needles; simultaneously.

knitting with said yarns respectively, upon both sets of said needlesby reciprocating knitting to form both of said parts of the leg oi the stocking and in said reciprocating,

knittinginterconnecting said two yarns by suture seams, eachof which seams is restricted to a single wale only of the fabric the number of needles to which the other yarn is suppliecL'by regroupment of the circle of needles, but continuing the interconnection of the yarns by suture seams, Whereby a high splice is formed, the lateral edges whereof cross a series of wales ofthe fabric.

13. That method of knitting upon a circular series of needles a tubular stocking having a relatively narrow, parallel-sided, split-work stripe at the rear of the leg above the high splice, the edges of which stripe substantially coincide with the junction of the non-fashioning and fashioning needles, which comprises introducing one yarn to a group of needles. consisting of'substantially all the non-fashioning heel needles, introducing another yarn to the remaining needles of the circle of needles; simultaneously knitting with said yarns respectively, upon both sets of said needles by reciprocating knitting to form the 'tub'ularpart of the leg; and in saidreciprocating knitting interconnecting said two yarns by suture seams, each of which seams is restricted to a single wale only of the fabric throughout said parallel-sided stripe.

1 That method of knitting upon a circular series of needles a tubular stocking having a markedly narrow, split work stripe extending less than the length of the leg,

. comprising knitting by rotary knitting the upper part at least of the leg of the stocking; then as a continuation of such fabric, in the same machine, introducing one yarn to a group of the back or heel needles of said circular series of needles, said group not exceeding approximately the numberof needles forming the Wales' inathe non-fashioned part of the heel; introducing -an-' other'yarn to all the remaining needles of the said circle of-needles and including the instep needles and substantially all the fashioning needles; and simultaneously knitting with said yarns respectively, upon both groups of said needles by reciprocating knitting. and in so doing interconnecting said yarns by suture "seams, thereby forming split work.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

ROBERT H. LAWsoN, 

